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A Family Affair (2024 film)

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A Family Affair
Release poster
Directed byRichard LaGravenese
Written byCarrie Solomon[1]
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyDon Burgess[2]
Edited byMelissa Bretherton
Music bySiddhartha Khosla
Production
company
Distributed byNetflix
Release date
  • June 28, 2024 (2024-06-28)
Running time
114 minutes[3]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

A Family Affair is a 2024 American romantic comedy film directed by Richard LaGravenese and written by Carrie Solomon. The film stars Nicole Kidman, Zac Efron, Joey King, and Kathy Bates. The film revolves around a widowed writer who begins a relationship with a young actor for whom her daughter works. It was released by Netflix on June 28, 2024.

Plot

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24-year-old Zara, the personal assistant to self-absorbed actor Chris Cole, is tired of being under appreciated. She is expected to help him when he breaks up with women, and he doesn't heed her advice to get a different writer to rewrite a bad script. When Chris changes the gate code on her while she is talking to a writer, Zara quits.

A short time later, Chris goes to Zara's house to offer her an assistant producer position as he misses her but instead finds her widowed author mother Brooke, as Zara is running errands. Deciding to wait for her, he explains to Brooke that his script is bad, and they soon hit it off. By the time Zara returns, she unwittingly walks in on Brooke and Chris having sex.

Chris promises Zara it won't happen again, so Zara returns to work for him as associate producer. He invites Brooke to dinner, and they again connect intimately.

Zara discovers that Chris hired Brooke as his new writer and confronts them at a gala. Brooke says she's happy with Chris and hasn't been this happy since she was with her husband, disregarding her daughter's pain and her concern he will hurt Brooke as he often does with fans who date him.

The family and Chris visit Brooke's mother-in-law Leila's house for Christmas. Leila convinces Zara to let her mom have fun. Brooke tells her mother-in-law that she was having relationship problems with Zara's dad even before he died, and Zara overhears this conversation. Later, while putting bags in the car, Zara notices diamond earrings in Chris's bag.

At home, Zara tells Brooke and Chris how bad Chris is, claiming that he buys the same earrings for everyone he breaks up with and already has a pair ready. This revelation prompts Brooke to ask Chris to leave.

Later, at the studio, Zara is asked to find Chris, who is upset and alone. Chris confides in her, expressing doubt about playing the good guy. He clarifies that he wasn't planning to break up with Brooke; he just forgot the earrings were in his bag because he often ends relationships impulsively. Zara then goes to Brooke, admitting she was wrong about Chris, but Brooke refuses to listen.

Zara orchestrates an encounter between her, Chris, and Brooke at the supermarket, explains her mistake, and apologizes to them. Following this reconciliation, Chris and Brooke get back together. A year later, their relationship is still going strong. Zara has been further promoted as a producer working with Chris, and their relationship is also strong.

Cast

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Production

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Development

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On June 14, 2022, Nicole Kidman, Zac Efron, and Joey King were revealed to be cast as the three leads.[4] On August 2, 2022, Kathy Bates and Liza Koshy were reported to join the cast.[5]

In a promotional interview, Efron stated that the film's working script title was Motherfucker, which Kidman clarified was "beeped out", with both laughing about the title keeping the script "at the top of the pile".[6] The wording was cleaned up and included in a byline on the film poster, as "A Motherf*&#er of a Love Story."[7] Joey King's character was inspired by Pamela Abdy, a friend of Richard LaGravenese who is currently co-chair and co-CEO of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group.[8]

Filming

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Filming took place in Atlanta from August to October 2022.[9][10]

During the post-production phase, a reshoot was conducted two weekends in Trancas Country Market in Malibu, California after 2023 WGA strike and 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike to capture the new ending.[11][12]

Release

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A Family Affair was originally scheduled to be released by Netflix on November 17, 2023.[13] However, the release of the film was postponed due to the impact of the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike on the film's promotion.[14] In April 2024, the finalized release date of June 28, 2024 was announced.[15]

Reception

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Critical response

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On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 36% of 98 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 4.8/10. The website's consensus reads: "Despite Zac Efron and Nicole Kidman's welcome return to rom-com territory, A Family Affair squabbles with its own tonality too much to elevate its litany of clichés."[16] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 43 out of 100, based on 23 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[17]

Tomris Laffly of Variety criticized the film in various aspects, from the acting as having "little chemistry", to the directing as "oddly rigid and dull", to the production design as inauthentic.[18] William Bibbiani of TheWrap mentioned that "It’s almost worth watching for Zac Efron and Nicole Kidman’s magnetism alone. If by 'almost' you mean 'not really.'"[19] Tania Hussain of Collider noted that the film "struggles to find its footing and unique style without ever standing out like the streamer’s previous originals", it "never finds its authenticity" and it "just never feels natural."[20]

Angie Han of The Hollywood Reporter praised the performance of Kidman and Efron as having "a decently sweet chemistry that’s nothing like the tawdry dynamic they flaunted in The Paperboy".[21] Pete Hammond of Deadline also noted that the highlight of the film was the chemistry between Kidman and Efron and that audiences "instantly believe the chemistry despite the 21-year age difference between the two stars."[22]

Despite noting that the film "is not as fun as the premise initially promises, and no amount of star power can fix that", Mireia Mullor of Digital Spy pointed out that "the scene-stealer of the film, though, is Kathy Bates' Leila, Brooke's mother-in-law, and Zara's grandmother" due to her warm performance.[23] Coleman Spilde of The Daily Beast, on the one hand, criticized the script as one of the weakest points of the film since "the balance between comedy and drama is not Solomon’s strong suit, and her script bounces between the two with frustrating incompetence." On the other hand, he praised the chemistry between Kidman and Efron.[24]

Karl Quinn of The Sydney Morning Herald rated the film 2½ stars and noted that "In the end, [the film] plays like nothing so much as a better-produced and (mostly) better-acted version of the sort of rom-com the streaming production line has been pumping out in recent years. Cue the sunsets, beaches, candle-lit dinners, and endless costume changes. It’s generic, predictable, mildly enjoyable, and instantly forgettable."[25] Critic Jamie Tram of ABC News said that the film "inexplicably makes the prospect of dating a famous actor seem hideously dull. The strategy behind these films seems less concerned with showcasing its acting talent, and more focused on assembling a cast that can look enticing on a thumbnail. Kidman and Efron merely exist to sell the illusion of prestige."[26]

Audience viewership

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Despite mixed reviews, the film debuted as the #1 Netflix original on the weekend of its release, according to the rankings from Netflix's domestic daily chart published on July 1, 2024.[27] The film garnered 26.8 million views since its launch on June 28, 2024.[28] According to Netflix's domestic daily chart released on July 8, 2024, the film held steady at #2 among Netflix originals during its second weekend of release.[29] It accumulated 31.9 million views in its first full week of availability, an increase from 26.8 million views the previous week.[30] The film held the #5 position in its third and fourth weeks,[31] generating an additional 11.6 million and 5.5 million views, respectively.[32][33] In its fifth week, the film secured the #7 spot, garnering an additional 3.3 million views.[34]

References

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  1. ^ "A Family Affair". Writers Guild of America West. November 22, 2022. Archived from the original on March 20, 2023. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  2. ^ Cappello, Emily (June 27, 2024). "What You Need To Know About Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron's Unlikely Romance in 'A Family Affair'". Collider. Archived from the original on June 27, 2024. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
  3. ^ "A Family Affair (12)". BBFC. June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  4. ^ Kroll, Justin (June 14, 2022). "Nicole Kidman, Zac Efron And Joey King To Star In New Comedy For Netflix". Deadline. Archived from the original on June 14, 2022. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
  5. ^ Chapman, Wilson (August 2, 2022). "Kathy Bates and Liza Koshy Join Untitled Netflix Rom-Com Starring Nicole Kidman, Zac Efron and Joey King". Variety. Archived from the original on August 2, 2022. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
  6. ^ Mandell, Andrea; McArdle, Tommy (June 29, 2024). "Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron Reveal NSFW Original Title of Their New Romcom: 'We Jumped at It!' (Exclusive)". People. Archived from the original on June 29, 2024. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  7. ^ "2024 Movie Poster Gallery | A Family Affair | XLG Image". impawards.com. Archived from the original on May 29, 2024. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
  8. ^ Jones, Tamera; Nemiroff, Perri (June 30, 2024). "Danny DeVito's Assistant (the CEO of Warner Bros.) Inspired This Rom-Com". Collider. Archived from the original on June 30, 2024. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
  9. ^ "#1308 07/21" (PDF). Production Weekly. July 7, 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 8, 2022. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  10. ^ Ho, Rodney (October 17, 2022). "What's filming in Georgia in October, 2022?". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on October 17, 2022. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  11. ^ Ortiz, Andi (June 28, 2024). "'A Family Affair' Director Reveals the Movie's Original Ending". TheWrap. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  12. ^ Ryan, Patrick (June 28, 2024). "'A Family Affair' on Netflix: Breaking down that 'beautiful' supermarket scene". USA Today. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  13. ^ Remley, Hilary (January 18, 2023). "Joey King Is Caught in 'A Family Affair' in New Image from Netflix Rom-Com". Collider. Archived from the original on January 18, 2023. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  14. ^ Marshall, Carrie (August 1, 2023). "Netflix delays the release of six movies amid the writers' and actors' strike". TechRadar. Archived from the original on August 1, 2023. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
  15. ^ Mazzeo, Esme (April 29, 2024). "Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron Rekindle Their Paperboy Spark in A Family Affair: Exclusive First Look". People. Archived from the original on April 29, 2024. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
  16. ^ "A Family Affair". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved July 31, 2024. Edit this at Wikidata
  17. ^ "A Family Affair". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
  18. ^ Laffly, Tomris (June 27, 2024). "'A Family Affair' Review: Zac Efron and Nicole Kidman's Hollywood-Set Rom-Com Has No Heat". Variety. Archived from the original on June 27, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  19. ^ Bibbiani, William (June 27, 2024). "'A Family Affair' Review: There's Nothing Funny About Zac Efron and Nicole Kidman's Funny Business". TheWrap. Archived from the original on June 27, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  20. ^ Hussain, Tania (June 27, 2024). "'A Family Affair' Review: Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron Can't Heat up This Netflix Rom-Com". Collider. Archived from the original on June 27, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  21. ^ Han, Angie (June 27, 2024). "'A Family Affair' Review: Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron in a Netflix Rom-Com That Charms Despite Missteps". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on June 27, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  22. ^ Hammond, Pete (June 27, 2024). "'A Family Affair' Review: Nicole Kidman & Zac Efron Find Each Other In Smart, Funny Rom-Com Where Age Is Just A Number". Deadline. Archived from the original on June 27, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  23. ^ Mullor, Mireia (June 27, 2024). "A Family Affair review: Is Nicole Kidman's Netflix rom-com worth a watch?". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on June 27, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  24. ^ Spilde, Coleman (June 27, 2024). "Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron Are Absurdly Sexy Together in 'A Family Affair'". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on June 27, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  25. ^ Quinn, Karl (July 2, 2024). "Nicole Kidman deserves more than this insipid Netflix romcom". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on July 2, 2024. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
  26. ^ Tram, Jamie (July 3, 2024). "Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron coming together in A Family Affair sounds like a rom-com home run. But this film fails to have fun with itself". ABC News. Archived from the original on July 3, 2024. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  27. ^ Brueggemann, Tom (July 1, 2024). "Aussies Rule as Nicole Kidman's 'A Family Affair' Leads Netflix, 'Furiosa' #1 on VOD". IndieWire. Archived from the original on July 1, 2024. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
  28. ^ White, Peter (July 2, 2024). "'A Family Affair' Takes Top Film Spot On Netflix Charts As 'Supacell' Lands Solid Debut". Deadline. Archived from the original on July 2, 2024. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  29. ^ Brueggemann, Tom (July 8, 2024). "'Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F' Is Latest Netflix Original to Score, 'Furiosa' Repeats at #1 on VOD". IndieWire. Archived from the original on July 8, 2024. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  30. ^ Hailu, Selome (July 9, 2024). "Netflix Top 10: 'Beverly Hills Cop 4' Debuts With 41 Million Views as Rapman's 'Supacell' Leads TV Titles". Variety. Archived from the original on July 9, 2024. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  31. ^ Brueggemann, Tom (July 15, 2024). "'Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' Rules VOD While Dennis Quaid's 'The Long Game' Surprises on Netflix". IndieWire. Archived from the original on July 15, 2024. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  32. ^ Hailu, Selome (July 16, 2024). "Netflix Top 10: 'Supacell' Holds First Place While 'Bridgerton' Season 3 Rises to No. 6 on Most Popular List". Variety. Archived from the original on July 16, 2024. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  33. ^ Hailu, Selome (July 23, 2024). "Netflix Top 10: 'Cobra Kai' Debuts at No. 1 With 14.1 Million Views, Followed by 'Vikings: Valhalla' Season 3 and 'Simone Biles Rising'". Variety. Archived from the original on July 23, 2024. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  34. ^ Hailu, Selome (July 30, 2024). "Netflix Top 10: 'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire' Debuts at No. 2 on Film Chart". Variety. Archived from the original on July 30, 2024. Retrieved July 31, 2024.
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